How to Update Your iPhone to iOS 5

On October 4^th new Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled the iPhone 4S to the world and with it the new iOS 5 operating system. iOS 5 brings numerous benefits compared to earlier versions of the interface including a new notification menu, Twitter integration and messaging features such as iMessage.

The great thing about iOS 5 is that you don’t need to purchase one of the latest iPhone 4S contracts in order to make use of it, as you can upgrade earlier iPhone models to run the new system.

One feature of the new iPhone 4S that will not be available to earlier iPhone models through this iOS update is Siri. Siri is the voice activation software that can plan your calendar, book restaurant tables and manage your stocks for you and perform many other tasks. In order to make use of Siri you must have the latest iPhone 4S. Despite this, all of the other features are available for earlier iPhone models.

So here is a step by step guide on how to update your iPhone to the latest iOS 5 through iTunes.

Step 1: Backup!

Firstly, some people have reported loss of data when attempting to make the upgrade. This data could be stored content such as music, emails or even more annoyingly contacts and phone numbers.

To ensure this doesn’t happen it is wise to backup your current iPhone in case anything goes wrong.

Make sure you are using the latest version of iTunes. Connect your iPhone to your computer and it should appear on iTunes under Devices. If you right click on your iPhone in Devices and select backup then iTunes will make a backup of your device in case anything goes wrong.

Step 2: Update

Now that everything is safely backed up in case of a problem, you can continue to upgrade your phone to iOS 5. Select your iPhone under Devices and then go to the Summary tab.

Then all you have to do is click “Check for Update”. Your iPhone should then update itself to iOS 5.

Step 3: Restore

This only needs to be done if you have updated to iOS 5 and found that you have missing content that needs to be restored. Simply right click on your device and select Restore from Backup. Your iPhone should then restore any lost data.

These are the three simple steps you need to follow in order to update your earlier iPhone to the new iOS 5, to make use of the excellent new features like notifications and iMessage. If you want to experience the next generation of voice activation though you will need to upgrade your hardware as well as software.